By Katie Manganelli
The University of Maryland men’s basketball will start the regular season with promise fueled by a mix of star players, new talent and a high preseason ranking.
The Terps were recently ranked seventh in the country by an AP poll. It’s their best ranking since the 2015/2016 season.
“I think it’s hard to compare to the success and power of the 2015/2016 team, but ranking number seven is super promising and exciting for a fun season,” university alumna Ashling O’Connell said.
Terps head coach of nine years Mark Turgeon is confident about the upcoming season even with the expectations of Terps fans on his shoulders. But despite the high expectations, Turgeon has high hopes.
“This team is not only a talented team but it’s a really smart basketball team,” Turgeon said in a press conference on October 15. “They pick up things quickly and have a good feel for the game. There’s just a lot of things that make you feel good as a coach. I want it to be a great year.”
Incoming freshmen have added serious height to the Terps’ roster. Twins Makhi and Makhel Mitchell, both forwards and both six feet ten inches tall, were ranked second and third best players in D.C., respectively, by 247Sports, a site that focuses mainly on college sports news and recruits.
Chol Marial, center, stands at a staggering seven feet two inches tall with a seven feet eleven inch wingspan and was named the 58th best player in the country by ESPN. Marial had surgery to repair stress fractures in both his legs in early September and may not be cleared in time to take the court this season.
The loss of Bruno Fernando marks a significant change to the Terps’ roster.
“I think Maryland will be able to make up for Bruno Fernando’s absence through their depth. Maryland returns seven guys that were in last year’s rotation,” said sophomore english major Noah Lofman. “Sophomore Jalen Smith will get a chance to play the center position this season and since we know he’s put on some weight this offseason, fans should be excited to watch Smith play on the block more.”
There are high expectations for Anthony Cowan Jr.’s senior season. Cowan was Maryland’s leading scorer last season and averaged 15.6 points and 4.4 assists per game, according to the AP.
“He has to carry the team. I think he’s going to be important because he’s one of the oldest guys on the team and he’ll serve as a role model for the newer players,” said Sierra Sirkorski, a sophomore criminology and criminal justice major.
The Terps basketball play their first game against Holy Cross at the Xfinity Center on November 5.